Desert Bloom

01

What you’ll need

• 2 cups boiling water
• 1/4 cup food-grade dried hibiscus petals, plus 1 teaspoon for garnish
• 1 1/2 cups strained prickly pear purée from peeled ripe cactus pears
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice
• 3 tablespoons light agave nectar, verified pure and alcohol-free
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 small pinch fine sea salt
• 1 cup plain sparkling water, well chilled
• 4 thin pink grapefruit half-moons, for garnish

02

Mix the drink

1. Pour the boiling water over 1/4 cup dried hibiscus petals in a heatproof jug. Steep for 10 minutes, then strain through a fine sieve and cool to room temperature.
2. Whisk the cooled hibiscus tea with the prickly pear purée, grapefruit juice, agave, lime juice and salt until evenly blended. Taste the mixture; it should be slightly sweeter and stronger than the finished drink because freezing will soften the flavour.
3. Pour the mixture into a shallow metal baking pan and freeze uncovered for 60 minutes.
4. Scrape the frozen edges toward the centre with a fork. Return the pan to the freezer and scrape every 45 minutes for about 3 more hours, until the entire mixture forms loose, sparkling crystals.
5. Chill the sparkling water and serving glasses thoroughly. Fluff the granita once more with a fork immediately before assembling the drinks.